I recently heard a job-searcher describe his feelings about networking. He said he would rather walk on hot coals than ask for a job.
The vision of walking on hot coals does not sound that attractive, but it can be less painful than the alternative (networking) for those uncomfortable with asking for help. With that walk over the coals, as soon as you get to the other side, it’s all over. In a job search, the pain of asking for a job seems to last a long time.
Here’s the point — networking is not about asking for a job — in fact it is the just the opposite.
Networking is a give-and-take relationship. Your networking efforts may not pay off instantly. These things can take some time, but asking networking contacts how you can help them instead of asking them to help you will change the results you get from your networking efforts in the long run.
Sometimes, the meeting you hoped would result in your next job ends up with you listening to someone else’s needs. That’s going to happen. So, what do you do?
Give this a try: the next opportunity you have to talk to meet with someone, keep listening for ways you can help them. Get your mind off yourself, and soon you will lose the uncomfortable feeling that leads to that fire walking vs. networking scenario.
By the way, the job candidate who suggested that walking on hot coals would be easier than job searching ended up being a really good networker. And yes, he did find his new opportunity through networking.
